PROFILBARU.COM

Sarajevo derby
Other names	Eternal derby
Location	Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Teams	Željezničar; Sarajevo
First meeting	12 August 1954
Latest meeting	25 September 2024
Statistics
Meetings total	Total: 153; Official: 133 (League competition)
All-time series	Total: Željezničar (47); Sarajevo (45); Drawn (61);

The Sarajevo derby (Bosnian: Sarajevski derbi, Serbian: Сарајевски дерби), also known as the Eternal derby (Bosnian: Vječiti derbi), is the name given to any football match between rival clubs Željezničar and Sarajevo, the two primary clubs in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the most viewed annual sporting event in Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[1]

During the match, fans usually create a competitive atmosphere with big flags, paper rolls, scarfs and loud chanting. It is not uncommon to see members of the same family on opposite sides, not speaking to each other on the day of the derby, with opposing fans engaging in mutual provocations at the end of the match, eagerly awaiting the next confrontation although, in recent years, this has led to clashes between some younger fans.

Željezničar leads in head-to-head results in competitive matches with 47 wins to Sarajevo's 45 with 61 draws. Along with Zrinjski Mostar and Široki Brijeg, they are the only clubs in the Bosnian Premier League to have never been relegated.^[2]

History

The history of the Sarajevo derby dates back to 1954, but the rivalry began eight years earlier. At the end of the World War II the three major clubs in Sarajevo, Đerzelez, SAŠK and Slavija, were disbanded by the new authorities^[3] which formed FK Sarajevo in 1946. Since the idea was for this new club to represent the city on a national level, SD Torpedo, as initially FK Sarajevo was called, needed the best players from the city. Numerous notable players were brought to the club, and they received good salaries for that time. On the other side, FK Željezničar Sarajevo is a club which was formed by a group of railway workers much earlier, in 1921. However, until then, during the pre-war period, they were in the shadow of Đerzelez, SAŠK and Slavija and had never managed to qualify to the Yugoslav Championship. Željezničar won the second-tier Bosnian championship title in 1946, as part of the Yugoslav football league system, and that achievement marked the beginning of their climb. After the war, these two clubs became the most prominent and successful clubs in Sarajevo, and since then, the rivalry between the two has been intense.

FK Sarajevo supporters were considered to be upper-class individuals, mainly from Bosniak dominated old and central parts of town. On the other side, supporters of FK Željezničar were usually working-class with liberal image. Those differences were later partly erased. Both clubs have supporters from all classes and from all ethnic groups, even if FK Sarajevo fan base is still very predominately Bosniak. FK Željezničar has the image of a liberal club and they are popular even among other supporters in the region, while FK Sarajevo's support outside Sarajevo comes mostly from the Bosniak dominated areas in the region and diaspora.^{[citation needed]}

Since they played in different levels, first matches between FK Željezničar and FK Sarajevo were friendlies. The first official league match was held in 1954; FK Sarajevo won 6–1. That is still the biggest victory by any team in these matches.

As of 25 September 2024, 133 league matches have been played. Željezničar have won 39 times, Sarajevo have won 37 times, while 57 matches have ended in a draw. Goal difference is 152:151 in Sarajevo's favour. In all competitions, Željezničar and Sarajevo have played 153 times, Željezničar have won 47 times, Sarajevo have won 45 times and 61 games have ended in a draw.

Honours

FK Sarajevo	Competition	FK Željezničar
Domestic
5	Bosnian Premier League	6
7	Bosnian Cup	6
1	Bosnian Supercup	3
13	Aggregate	15
Yugoslavia Era (1946–1992)
2	Yugoslav First League	1
2	Aggregate	1
15	Total Aggregate	16

All competitions

As of match played 25 September 2024

The Sarajevo derby is currently played three times a year in the Premier league, but they may also play against one another in other competitions. There are also friendly matches and games played in various tournaments. Although these games are not included in official statistics.

	Matches	Wins		Draws	Goals
	Matches	Sarajevo	Željezničar	Draws	Sarajevo	Željezničar
Bosnian Premier League	70	18	18	34	69	65
Bosnian Cup	14	6	4	4	21	19
Bosnian Supercup	1	0	1	0	0	4
1992–Present	85	24	23	38	90	88
Yugoslav First League	63	19	21	23	83	86
Yugoslav Cup	5	2	3	0	10	13
1946–1992	68	21	24	23	93	99
Total	153	45	47	61	183	187

Bosnian Premier League head-to-head ranking

P.	95	96	97	98	99	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
1				1	1	1	1					1			1		1	1		1				1	1
2	2		2	2				2	2	2	2					2		2		2		2	2		2	2
3						3		3	3							3			3			3	3					3
4	4						4			4				4			4		4		4			4			4	4	4
5												5	5		5						5
6											6																6		6
7		7	7		7								7													7
8
9		9												9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22

• Total: FK Sarajevo 17 times higher, FK Željezničar 12 times higher.

Records

Most appearances: Slobodan Janjuš – 21 (16 for Željezničar, 5 for Sarajevo)
Best goalscorers: Asim Ferhatović (Sarajevo), Dželaludin Muharemović (Željezničar) – 6 goals
Record win: Željezničar – Torpedo 9:1 (29 December 1946, first derby match recorded)
Biggest attendance: 55,000 (10 March 1982, Koševo Stadium)
Double victory (two wins in a season): Željezničar (1968–69, 1989–90, 2000–01, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20); Sarajevo (1955–56, 1966–67, 1998–99, 2006–07, 2018–19);
Longest unbeaten run: 11 games (Sarajevo: 6 June 1963 – 1 December 1968; Željezničar: 15 October 2000 – 5 April 2006)
Longest unbeaten run (home): 17 games (Željezničar: 3 April 1977 – 26 October 1997)
Longest unbeaten run (away): 6 games (Sarajevo: 2 June 1963 – 29 June 1969; Željezničar: 28 April 2001 – 21 April 2007)
Longest winning run: 3 games (Željezničar: 14 May 1988 – 10 December 1989; Sarajevo: 5 April 2006 – 21 April 2007)
Longest winning run (home): 3 games (Željezničar two times: 23 August 1981 – 18 March 1984 & 10 October 1999 – 11 May 2002)
Longest winning run (away): Two games by both teams on several occasions;
Radmilo Mihajlović is the only player to score a hat-trick. (7 September 1986, Željezničar won 4–1)

Note that only league matches are included in statistics. Cup, other tournaments and friendly matches are not included.

Fans

Club	Ultras	Stand
FK Željezničar Sarajevo	The Maniacs	South
FK Sarajevo	Horde Zla	North

Željezničar supporters at Grbavica Stadium

Probably the best known thing about the Sarajevo derby are the fans. Fans create an impressive atmosphere with cheering and choreography. Both sides prepare intensely between the matches, make large flags and special messages that are appropriate for that particular occasion, to be usually directed towards the opposing side.

FK Željezničar's most passionate fans (wearing blue) are called Manijaci because their love for the club is on the edge of insanity, so it is said. They are located on the South side of stadium (the Holy South as they call it). The older fans ones are known affectionately as the Košpicari (which can metaphorically be translated as "seed eaters", although the name itself has different meaning - namely that of "seed sellers").

FK Sarajevo's most passionate fans (crimson) are called the Horde Zla (Evil hordes) after the popular Zagor comic book.^[4]^[5] In home games at Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium, they are located on the North stands, while the older fans are known as the Pitari (similar to the Košpicari etymology except referring to pie and not seeds) and they are mainly on the East side.

When the derby is played on Grbavica Stadium, Horde zla are on the North-East side of the stadium, The Maniacs are on the East, South and West side, while the Pitari and Košpicari are on the North. When the game is played on Koševo, The Maniacs are on the South and South-West side, Horde zla on the North and the East. Pitari are on the East as well. West stands are mixed with both Pitari and Košpicari sitting there.

Results 1946–1992

Derby FK Sarajevo vs FK Željezničar in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1946–1992

Total games	68	68	Total games
Won	21	21	Lost
Draw	23	23	Draw
Lost	24	24	Won
Goals For	93	93	Goals Against
Goals Against	98	98	Goals For

#	Date	Stadium	Home	Score	Away	Report	Watch on YouTube
1	29 December 1946	Stadion 6. april	Željezničar	9–1	Torpedo	Report
2	30 August 1978	Grbavica	Željezničar	4–0	Sarajevo
3	10 March 1982	Koševo	Sarajevo	1–2	Željezničar		42,000 attn.

League Results 1992–present

Stadium	Matches	Wins FK Sarajevo	Draws	Wins FK Željezničar	Goals FK Sarajevo	Goals FK Željezničar
Koševo	35	11	18	6	40	26
Grbavica	33	7	14	12	28	38
Bilino Polje	1	0	1	0	1	1
Bosnian FA Training Centre	1	0	1	0	0	0
Total matches	70	18	34	18	69	65

#	Date	Stadium	Home	Score	Away	Report	Watch on YouTube
1	14 September 1994	Bilino Polje, Zenica	FK Željezničar	1–1	FK Sarajevo	Report
2	15 November 1995	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	5–0	FK Željezničar	Report	Watch on youtube
3	2 May 1996	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–1	FK Sarajevo	Report	Watch on youtube
4	22 September 1996	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–1	FK Sarajevo	Report
5	16 April 1997	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–0	FK Željezničar	Report
6	26 October 1997	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–2	FK Sarajevo	Report	Watch on youtube
7	3 May 1998	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–1	FK Željezničar	Report	Watch on youtube
8	5 June 1998	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–1	FK Željezničar	Report	Watch on youtube
9	8 August 1998	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	3–1	FK Željezničar	Report	Watch on youtube
10	14 March 1999	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–2	FK Sarajevo	Report	Watch on youtube
11	10 October 1999	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	2–0	FK Sarajevo	Report
12	6 May 2000	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	4–1	FK Željezničar	Report
13	23 September 2000	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–0	FK Sarajevo	Report
14	28 April 2001	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–3	FK Željezničar	Report	Watch on youtube
15	11 November 2001	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	2–2	FK Željezničar	Report
16	4 May 2002	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–0	FK Sarajevo	Report
17	22 September 2002	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–1	FK Sarajevo	Report	Watch on youtube
18	13 April 2003	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–1	FK Željezničar	Report
19	5 October 2003	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–1	FK Željezničar	Report	Pogedaj
20	30 April 2004	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	2–1	FK Sarajevo	Report
21	30 October 2004	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–1	FK Željezničar	Report
22	30 April 2005	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–1	FK Sarajevo	Report
23	15 October 2005	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar	Report
24	5 April 2006	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–1	FK Sarajevo	Report
25	30 September 2006	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–1	FK Sarajevo	Report
26	21 April 2007	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	2–1	FK Željezničar	Report
27	6 October 2007	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–0	FK Sarajevo	Report
28	19 April 2008	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar	Report
29	8 November 2008	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar	Report
30	9 May 2009	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	2–0	FK Sarajevo	Report
31	7 November 2009	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–2	FK Sarajevo	Report
32	15 May 2010	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar	Report
33	24 October 2010	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–0	FK Sarajevo	Report
34	7 May 2011	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar	Report
35	5 November 2011	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–0	FK Sarajevo	Report	Watch on youtube
36	12 May 2012	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	2–2	FK Željezničar	Report	Watch on youtube
37	3 November 2012	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–0	FK Željezničar	Report	Watch on youtube
38	8 May 2013	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–0	FK Sarajevo	Report
39	30 October 2013	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar	Report	Watch on youtube
40	4 May 2014	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–1	FK Sarajevo
41	2 November 2014	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–2	FK Sarajevo
42	16 May 2015	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar
43	4 October 2015	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–0	FK Sarajevo	Report
44	24 April 2016	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–1	FK Željezničar
45	23 July 2016	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	1–1	FK Sarajevo	Report
46	16 October 2016	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar
47	15 April 2017	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–0	FK Sarajevo	Report	FK Sarajevo, 1921.tv
48	20 May 2017	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–0	FK Željezničar	Report	FK Sarajevo, 1921.tv
49	19 August 2017	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–1	FK Željezničar	Report	1921.tv
50	27 November 2017	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	2–1	FK Sarajevo	Report	1921.tv
51	15 April 2018	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar	Report	1921.tv
52	19 May 2018	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	2–1	FK Sarajevo	Report	1921.tv
53	15 August 2018	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	2–2	FK Sarajevo	Report	FK Sarajevo, 1921.tv
54	3 November 2018	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	2–1	FK Željezničar	Report	FK Sarajevo, 1921.tv
55	6 April 2019	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–3	FK Sarajevo	Report	FK Sarajevo, 1921.tv
56	31 August 2019	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	5–2	FK Sarajevo	Report	1921.tv
57	30 November 2019	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–3	FK Željezničar	Report	FK Sarajevo, 1921.tv
58	4 November 2020	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–1	FK Željezničar	Report	Arena Sport
59	1 March 2021	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–0	FK Sarajevo	Report	Arena Sport
60	1 May 2021	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	3–1	FK Željezničar	Report	Arena Sport
61	22 September 2021	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	2–0	FK Željezničar	Report	Arena Sport
62	5 March 2022	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	2–0	FK Sarajevo	Report	Arena Sport
63	10 May 2022	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–1	FK Željezničar	Report	Arena Sport
64	26 August 2022	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	2–2	FK Sarajevo	Report	Arena Sport
65	8 March 2023	Bosnian FA Training Centre, Zenica	FK Sarajevo	0–0	FK Željezničar	Report	Arena Sport
66	12 May 2023	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	2–2	FK Željezničar	Report	Arena Sport
67	8 October 2023	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	3–0	FK Željezničar	Report	Arena Sport
68	3 March 2024	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	3–0	FK Sarajevo	Report	Arena Sport
69	14 April 2024	Grbavica	FK Željezničar	0–0	FK Sarajevo	Report	Arena Sport
70	25 September 2024	Koševo	FK Sarajevo	1–1	FK Željezničar	Report	Arena Sport

Colors
	Sarajevo win
	Draw
	Željezničar win

Little derby

Both the two big Sarajevo clubs have a rivalry with Slavija Sarajevo,^[6]^[7] a club dominated by Bosnian Serbs in eastern Sarajevo.^{[citation needed]}

Another football club from Sarajevo was Olimpik; located in the small neighbourhood of Otoka, but their support group was very small.^{[citation needed]}

Olimpik's games between its rivals, FK Sarajevo and FK Željezničar, in town were known as the little town derby (Mali gradski derbi). After Olimpik were relegated from the Premier League in the 2016–17 season, until the 2020–21 season, the little derby was not hosted.^[8]^[9]